News: Judge: Persian artifacts can't be used to pay survivors of attack

Collections assistant Sarah
Coleman works with ancient Persian artifacts at the Field Museum in
2006.
(Charles Osgood, Chicago Tribune / February 9, 2006)

The University of Chicago and
The Field Museum won’t have to turn over ancient Persian artifacts in
their possession to help resolve a legal settlement owed to survivors of
a terrorist attack, a federal judge has ruled.

In a long-running court battle, nine American victims of the 1997
attack in Jerusalem sued Iran, where the artifacts were excavated, for
being a financial supporter of Hamas, the Palestinian extremist group.

The victims won a multimillion-dollar court judgment.

To collect on that, attorneys
for the plaintiffs have been trying to gain control of Iranian assets
in the United States, including artifacts the Chicago museum has had for
decades, according to the ruling.

In Thursday’s decision, U.S. District Judge Robert Gettleman held
that the plaintiffs’ argument was flawed because there was no evidence
that Iran has asserted ownership over the collections.

“The court recognizes the tragic circumstances that gave rise to the
instant action, but finds the law cited by the plaintiffs does not offer
the remedy they seek,” Gettleman said in the decision.

Keepers of the Chicago collections said the pieces were priceless and welcomed the court’s ruling.

“These ancient artifacts...have unique historical and cultural
value,” said Gil Stein, director of the University of Chicago’s Oriental
Institute in a statement. The university “will continue our efforts to
preserve and protect this cultural heritage,” he said.

David Strachman, an attorney for the victims who brought the lawsuit,
said his clients were particularly upset that the U.S. State Department
“takes the side of Iran in these cases.”